Ahhh, Phase 4 of EMDR. This is where the magic happens. Phase 4 is referred to as the Desensitization phase and this happens right after Phase 3. During Phase 4, the client will spend the majority of a session here, reprocessing the previously chosen memory or “spicy image.” Remember, this is NOT traditional talk therapy. 

BLS will be faster than the speeds used during resourcing. BLS can be administered through many ways including the client tapping on the arms or legs, audio tones, eye movements, or even tactile devices such as a NeuroTek tapper (this is not sponsored in any way by NeuroTek and there are other BLS devices out there. I just really like the NeuroTek device I have).

During this phase, the clinician may be utilizing EMD, EMDr, or EMDR. Depending on which “flavor” of EMDR is being used and per the clinician’s discretion, BLS sets may range from 5-10 seconds (EMD), 10-15 seconds (EMDr), or 15-30 seconds (EMDR).

How do we know when a target is complete? The clinician will cue the client to go back to the target and ask how disturbing things feel now with the Subjective Units of Disturbance scale (SUD).

     How this may sound: When you float back to the original image we discussed, has anything changed or is anything different about this image now? On a scale of 0 to 10, how disturbing is all of this now?

If the client reports a 0 or is ecologically relevant (i.e., it makes sense there’s still some disturbance), Phase 4 is complete and the client can move on to Phase 5.

It is very okay if it takes a couple of sessions to clear out a memory. It takes time for the information to digest and get stored away in an adaptive manner. Should a memory not be cleared out by the end of the session, the clinician transitions the client into Phase 7 Closure, which may include cueing the client to use their Container to store anything that does not need to be addressed right away, their Inner Peaceful Place, or any other techniques to help the client transition out of reprocessing.

If you are curious to learn more about EMDR or are interested in beginning your EMDR therapy journey, please reach out to me via the Contact Me page on my website. You can also learn more about EMDR as well as additional EMDR therapists in your area by visiting the EMDR International Association’s website here.

Reminder: these blog posts are meant to be purely educational and/or entertainment tools and do NOT replace psychotherapy and/or other medically necessary treatments.